Oops!!!

[CompactTractorFan]

Today my grandparents came over, so I was proudly was showing off the new BX25. I wanted to show them the backhoe, so my Dad said it was OK to dig in an near area near the garage that was dug up before. Well, after the second scoop I pulled up something that I thought was a vine. It was not; it was the electrical line that runs from the garage to our pond area... The good news is that I was not shocked and the line is not being used (we're going to remove the ponds). The reason it came up was because the previous owner buried it about 1"-2" with no conduit... It is amazing what some people will do...:confused2:

 

[Mousefield]

When I dig I hope the previous owners had buried a treasure and up it will come. So far no luck. Glad no damage was done and maybe you just helped the removal of the pond along.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

I decided to start a whole thread about this stuff: The Dumb Things DIYers Do... - TractorByNet.com

 

[Lt CHEG]

Today while going some mowing on my land I broke a shear bolt on my brush hog when I hit a rock. I knew it had to be something big so I got out to take a look. I was quite surprised to find a big hunk of polished granite. It is just the same as a grave stone. It was oddly shaped and did not appear to have been an intact grave stone. Not only that but there was no mention of any graves on my property in the deed and this stone wasn't of the type that was used 100 years or more ago so there would have to have been a record of a grave on the land. Anyhow, it has got me curious and this story about the poorly buried cable reminded me of what appears to be just a poor dumping spot for a 75 pound block of stone.

 

[Thomas]

No body hurt or damages,than it was good dig..also start on your next project.

 

[Qapla]

I have dug up some interesting things over time. Some of this has been with a track hoe on the job.

Two of the best/worst things my friend (the one with the track hoe and the boss on the job) is the one who dug it up or hit it.

We were on a new condo project and the locates had been done. The spot he was digging was supposed to be clear. After a few minutes, he came over to me and the other worker with an odd look on his face. We asked what was up. He told us he had just dug up a fiber-optic trunk cable (on of those nice fat ones) and had ripped it up quite a bit.

Good for us they had mis-located it!

However, his all time best/worst one was when he was using a ride on chain trencher. This thing digs a 4" wide trench up to 2' deep. He hit a buried electric transmission line. It went off like an explosion. He yanked back on the control lever and dove off the machine. That was the only thing that ever damaged the super hard teeth on the machine.

He didn't know it at the time, but he had put an entire sub-station down killing the power for a large section of homes, businesses and data centers. In fact, the down sub-station made the news - though they didn't say what or who did it, just that a construction crew hit an underground cable. Again, this was a mis-locate. He was in the clear.

At least you did not have a live wire on your dig. And you are right, you never know what home owners do. That is why I always try to determine where a wire may be if I find a light or some other electrical device in the yard. (I helps when you have your own locator )

 

[buckeyefarmer]

The engineers name for a backhoe is a "cable finder".

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Do they have clean undies in the tool boxes on those Cable finders Hitting a power line or gas line would be my biggest fear..

 

[Ford tractor]

I wanted to show them the backhoe, so my Dad said it was OK to dig in an near area near the garage that was dug up before. Well, after the second scoop I pulled up something that I thought was a vine. It was not;

Just remember that if you sever a utility YOU are responsible for the repair costs AND any related loss. Fiber optic cables can run several hundred thousand to over a million dollars in damage and loss.

Oh, and home owners insurance won't cover it if you didn't have a survey done first.

 

[beenthere]

Today .............. The good news is that I was not shocked and the line is not being used (.........:

If you stay on the tractor, you are not in danger of being shocked digging up a live wire. Just don't get off and grab the wire. If/when it arcs, then the fuse or circuit breaker should have blown.

Similar to birds landing on the high voltage hi-lines. They don't get shocked.

Good story, but how else would you be finding that wire?

 

[rjkobbeman]

If you stay on the tractor, you are not in danger of being shocked digging up a live wire. Just don't get off and grab the wire. If/when it arcs, then the fuse or circuit breaker should have blown.

Similar to birds landing on the high voltage hi-lines. They don't get shocked.

Good story, but how else would you be finding that wire?

The difference is birds are not grounded, but you sitting on a tractor are. My guess is this was a 120 or 240 volt circuit. If it was a primary circuit, the outcome could have been much different. Although a homeowner would not have buried that one... so it would have been deeper.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

The difference is birds are not grounded, but you sitting on a tractor are. My guess is this was a 120 or 240 volt circuit. If it was a primary circuit, the outcome could have been much different. Although a homeowner would not have buried that one... so it would have been deeper.

It was a 120.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

Just remember that if you sever a utility YOU are responsible for the repair costs AND any related loss. Fiber optic cables can run several hundred thousand to over a million dollars in damage and loss.

Oh, and home owners insurance won't cover it if you didn't have a survey done first.

The fiber is across the street...I think...:laughing:

 

[Cat_Driver]

I found something while clearing a yard. I was clearing the back yard of a house that assured me NOTHING buried in the back yard confirmed by the underground 800 number. I was only top clearing with a Bobcat skid steer at the time.

Things were going smoothly until the whole rig with me in it turned straight up in the air - I was looking at sky.

I had driven over an old well no one knew about big enough to swallow a skid steer. Luckily the way the bucket was the back end fell through the wooden boards that were covered by 6" of dirt and got wedged in before I went down any further.

Yep a new pair of shorts were in order that day.

 

[TripleR]

I found something while clearing a yard. I was clearing the back yard of a house that assured me NOTHING buried in the back yard confirmed by the underground 800 number. I was only top clearing with a Bobcat skid steer at the time.

Things were going smoothly until the whole rig with me in it turned straight up in the air - I was looking at sky.

I had driven over an old well no one knew about big enough to swallow a skid steer. Luckily the way the bucket was the back end fell through the wooden boards that were covered by 6" of dirt and got wedged in before I went down any further.

Yep a new pair of shorts were in order that day.

 

[soonerd483]

I was actually out yesterday with a Rep from a pipeline company. We have a Booster station on the edge of our property while walking the land I see a 6 inch pipe thats exposed in a washed out area. Luckily after the big fuss I made, turns out to be an abandoned line. Guy was very nice. I think they prefer the "Safe" to "Sorry" method. Always safe to call before you dig, I know I will never dig on the back portion of our property, they are still 2 other live lines there.

 

[jimmer2880]

The PO of my house burried the 110v electric line to the pavilion in the middle of the back yard exactly 0.25" below the surface.

That's right - it was tucked under the grass.

 

[Jay4200]

Today my grandparents came over, so I was proudly was showing off the new BX25. I wanted to show them the backhoe, so my Dad said it was OK to dig in an near area near the garage that was dug up before. Well, after the second scoop I pulled up something that I thought was a vine. It was not; it was the electrical line that runs from the garage to our pond area... The good news is that I was not shocked and the line is not being used (we're going to remove the ponds). The reason it came up was because the previous owner buried it about 1"-2" with no conduit... It is amazing what some people will do...:confused2:

No doubt. I was getting ready to regrade the front yard of my new house, since it was pitched toward the house. I made my very first swipe, just to scrape off the grass, and the ground bounced. Uh oh. Turns out the poo pipe going to the septic tank was buried about 2" down, and I caught the cleanout tee and broke the pipe. Two trips to home depot and a day later...

JayC

 

[CBW1999]

I had the neighbor come over with his excavator when I had to dig up the well casing a couple of years ago. He was skimming the sod off- from around the well head and as he drew back the bucket, low and behold he was dragging out the LP Gas line :ashamed:. needless to say, I set a new sprint record for the 100 yard dash to shut off the tank:confused2:

Now, when we had the LP gas installed, I walked around with the installer and specified where the gas line should and SHOULD NOT be run because of the water line. He only saved a couple of feet by taking the short cut

Apparently, once I was gone, he took the easy way out and ran the line just underneath the dirt/sod and right between the well and the house (which is only 3 feet from the corner of the house.

Now granted, I didn't use "dig safe" to locate anything underground however- I was not expecting a gas line to be running over a water line and next to a well casing. I was still pretty hot to find out the line was not buried where I had asked, and was never informed of the change in routing it although I have some responsibility for the accident.